Viewpoint

Animal Welfare

All animals used for research or teaching in New Zealand come under the authority of the Animals Protection Act, 1960, which is currently in the process of revision. The act is being revised because ways of treating animals that were regarded as acceptable in 1960 are coming under question today, such as the docking of cows' tails or dogs' tails. The objective of the new act has been simply stated as "to make provision for the protection of animals from ill-treatment and neglect, and the prevention of suffering of animals".

Under the requirements of the present act, all animals to be used for research, teaching or demonstration purposes by research or teaching organisations must be covered by approval from an institutional Animal Ethics Committee to be legal. These requirements also cover the use of animals for teaching purposes at secondary schools, including their use as in an entry for a science fair. How many schools are have their own Animal Ethics Committees?

The Minister of Agriculture may decide that snails, worms, fish or shellfish are animals for the purpose of the act by a special pronouncement. However, at the present time, mainly warm and cold blooded vertebrates (mice to elephants, birds and snakes) are specified in the act. In fact, the act defines an animal as "any vertebrate animal that is kept in a state of captivity or is dependent upon man for its care and sustenance."

Crabs and crayfish, which are not kept in captivity, may be introduced in the revised act. Fish may not be included because fishing to produce meat for the table is a normally accepted economic pastime and fishing for sport is acceptable to most of our community.

A curious quirk, in retrospect, in the 1960 act is that any animals involved in research facilities, even if they are only subjected to normal farm activities such as milking of cows or shearing of sheep to enable research measurement, must be covered by an Animal Ethics Committee approval.

The act does not require such approval for research on fish. Even if fish were included under the act, making it illegal to undertake research on them without Animal Ethics Committee approval, it would still not be illegal for a hotel to include goldfish in a cocktail. For this to be so, it would require someone to bring a successful court prosecution showing that such treatment is cruel.

An Animal Ethics Committee is likely to include people from the institution being monitored. All such committees are also expected to have one member representing the public and one member representing one of the several animal welfare organisations in New Zealand, such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

As an example, at the Ruakura Agricultural Centre, the committee comprises the manager's nominee as chairperson, a technician, the Centre Animal Welfare Officer (a veterinarian), an animal welfare inspector nominated by MAF Qual, a New Zealand Veterinary Association nominee, an RSPCA nominee (a veterinarian and Anglican priest), a public representative (a city councillor) and a nominee of Federated Farmers. Centre staff are in the minority on the committee.

Institutional ethics committees must consider every proposed usage of animals, whether for research, teaching or demonstration purposes, and will only approve if they consider the usage is likely to benefit (usually other) animals or people. They must also consider whether the benefit is likely to outweigh the costs to the experimental or demonstration animals. The welfare of the animals throughout the experiments or teaching demonstrations is also a very important consideration.

Over 60% of the export income earned by New Zealand comes from the products of farmed animals, in the form of wool, dairy products, meat, and so forth. Thus, it is very important that we undertake the research needed to promote their welfare, such as matching farm operations to the animal's normal behaviour, and finding systems to prevent animals from getting unpleasant diseases such as facial eczema or bloat. Animals are a very important part of the environment and our welfare -- we have a responsibility to treat them with respect.

Dr Alan Kirton, Chairperson, Animal Ethics Committee, MAF Ruakura Agricultural Centre

Dr Alan Kirton, Chairperson, Animal Ethics CommitteeMAF Ruakura Agricultural Centre